Band Trip 2000
by BounceWithMe002
Summary: *~Just wanted to share with you all the fun I had during Spring '00 in Myrtle Beach. Our marching band participated in the Fiesta-Val and our concert band partipated in a concert, of course...Click here to read about all the fun we had~*


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+ Band Trip 2000+ 

=1=The Trip Down=1=

+By: BounceWithMe002+

Just to introduce myself, My name is Amber and I am currently 17 years old and a SeNiOr this year! I have been playing the clarinet in my school's (Southern Fulton) concert band since 5th grade and marching band since 9th, since that was the earliest year we could start to march. I absolutely love to march and I would like to share with you how my Sophomore Band Trip to Myrtle Beach went. It was absolutely fabulous!

It was the evening of April 26th, and I watched as the breeze blew in through the window, making the curtain sway a bit. The only reason I actually noticed this was because tomorrow is the day of the band trip and I have everything ready, I just can't get to sleep. I am too anxious. This is supposedly going to be really fun and I love all the people I march with. In one way or the other we are all friends. As Mr. Poe (our band director) puts it, we are to eat together, sleep together (not the sick way you perves!), march together, play together, and even go to the bathroom together. Ok, so maybe I exaggerated a little bit, but he actually DOES say that and you get the drift. We're just supposed to be THAT in synch with each other. When we're actually concentrating on what we're doing, we look really neat but usually we're just normal kids joking around.

Early the next morning, and I do mean EARLY, I got up and got all my stuff ready and my mom drove me to the school. I kissed her good-bye and got my suitcase and duffel bag out of the car. As she drove away, I walked into the school wondering if my best friend, Whittney, had arrived yet. Whittney is also in 10th grade and she has been a good friend of mine since 2nd grade, when I moved here. Anyway, we both decided to be in band when we were in fifth grade and we always manage to have fun. I took my suitcase back out to the sidewalk out front of the lobby a few minutes later as Mr. Poe had directed everyone who was there, to do. Of course there was a few stragglers who weren't there yet, there always is. Whittney was there so when we went back inside, I sat beside her. That only lasted for a few moments though because Mr. Poe requested that everyone sit in their sections. Everyone who was going to be coming was already there apparently. The band-front was even there. Mr. Poe stood before us and waited for us to quiet down, which is always quite a task, and then went over the itinerary which we had received about a week before. 

When he was done, we all stood up and I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and told Whittney to wait up a second as I caught up to her. We walked out into the closet and got our uniforms, hats, and then walked out in the hall to get our instruments. It was quite the load, let me tell you. I think all the candy in my bag was really starting to weigh it down. 

We walked outside a few seconds later. Thank God Mr. Poe had decided on getting 2 Bollman's charter buses for us. At least the ride will be smooth and I can catch up on my sleep a little bit. Everyone of us, yes all 31 of the band members and all 15 of the members of band front, were gathered out in front of the school. The band front was rushing to get on the buses while the rest of the band was busy getting their uniforms and hats put in a compartment beneath the bus so we wouldn't have to worry about them.

As I got on the bus, my eyes immediately darted from seat to seat trying to find one that was open. I found one and it was right across from Whittney. It seemed we had enough room to spread out. Anywho, once everyone was on and I was comfortably situated, the buses were started and Mr. Poe did the head count. Once everyone had said "here" or sarcastically "present", the buses were on there way and I laid back with my walkman, as did Whittney, and we started to fall asleep. The world around us was chaotic, as it always is when teachers aren't paying attention. Sure, some of us were sleeping, but others were goofing off on the back of the bus. Who knows what they were doing? All I know is it was quite noisy for a while. 

I had been in sleepy-land for I-don't-know-how-long and all of a sudden, the chaperones including Mr. Poe started yelling back through the bus. Something about there being smoke coming from the bus and we had to get off quick. Ok, let me tell you, I had just reached that place where you're all warm and cozy. This had better be good. We all scattered off, looking for the smoke that was supposedly rapidly permeating from the bus. As soon as all of us were off the bus, all of the adults started laughing like crazy. I was still walking around with a puzzled look on my face. My hair was going crazy and I was still tired. My legs even still felt like rubber. Whittney and I looked at each other as soon as we heard the laughter. I started to shake my head as the "adults" let us in on their little scam. Apparently they just wanted us to get up so we could stretch our legs and use the restrooms. We were stopped at a little gas station. Whittney and I just walked around a little bit and got back on the bus so we could go back to sleep. I did get out some of my oatmeal cream pies from my bag. I offered Whittney one, but she politely declined and leaned back down in her seat to sleep. I did the same and began to eat my "breakfast". It was just my luck that when the bus started moving again, the adults pulled out a huge box of Dunkin Donuts. _Just great!_

I slept the rest of the way, except for the times I had to change a CD, batteries, or to talk to Whittney or some other friend of mine. We did stop once more on the way, but this time it was just at a regular rest stop and I didn't even get off the bus this time. The "adults" didn't even try to mess with us this time. Good thing, although we were ready this time and most of us weren't going to move, but they didn't play. _Party-Poopers_….Anyway, everyone got back on the bus and Mr. Poe did the head-count AGAIN and we were once again on our merry way. All I knew was, I was on my way to dream-land. 


End file.
